Stuffed Greek Onions Food

STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Trim the very ends of the onions. Make an incision in each, from top to root, then another 0.5cm along, so you can cut out and discard a thin wedge (like you're discarding a segment of orange). Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the onions. Boil for 10 mins, remove from the water and let cool. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• When the onions are cool enough to handle, carefully peel and set aside their outer layers - you want about 12-16 large layers in total, which will become the outer casing for the lamb filling. You can use the smaller, leftover layers in the middle for another recipe.
• Mix all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and season well. Shape into 12-16 oval meatballs. Put each one on an onion layer and roll it up to create what looks like a small, peeled onion.
• Pour half the olive oil into a large, shallow casserole dish or roasting tin, then arrange all the stuffed onions on top in a tight, single layer. Drizzle over the remaining oil and bake for 45 mins. Brush with the molasses and bake for another 15-20 mins until the casings are really soft and dark golden brown. Serve with the root vegetable rice and the herby yogurt dressing on the side.

STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In an 8-by-8 baking dish, arrange onions cored side up. Pour broth in bottom of pan. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake onions until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from liquid. Drain hot liquid from pan; return onions to pan, cored side up. Set aside.
• In a medium skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chopped onions; cook, stirring, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes or more.
• Remove from heat; add bread, cheese, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine.
• Fill hollowed onions with chopped-onion mixture (press with back of spoon to pack tightly). Top with more cheese, if desired. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

GREEK-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the beef, spinach, zucchini, onion, bulgur, egg, oregano, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
• Arrange the pepper halves cut side up in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and fill each pepper half with the meat mixture. Pour the tomatoes over the peppers and sprinkle with the feta cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the meat mixture is completely cooked and the peppers are tender, about 25 minutes longer.

STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a Dutch oven, bring a small amount of water to a boil. Peel onions; using a slotted spoon, place onions in boiling water. Cook for 4-6 minutes more until softened; remove and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut a 1/4-in. slice off the top of each onion. Remove center, leaving a 1/2-in shell. Chop centers and tops of onions; set aside. In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towel to drain. In the drippings, saute chopped onion until tender. Stir in bread crumbs and parsley. Add the butter and mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are tender. Add bacon, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stuff onion shells; place in an ungreased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Pour broth around onions. Bake, uncovered, until tender, 45 minutes, basting frequently during the first 15 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

GREEK-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place green and red bell peppers in a bowl with enough warm water to cover, and soak 5 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place pork and onions in the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pork is evenly brown. Drain grease, and mix in wine and tomato puree. Continue cooking 10 minutes.
• Transfer skillet mixture to a large bowl, and mix in feta cheese, cooked rice, raisins, pine nuts, and parsley. Stuff peppers with the mixture, and arrange in a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove foil, and continue baking 10 minutes, until stuffing is lightly browned. May be served hot or cold.

PETER'S BAKED STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
• In a saucepan bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel onions and slice off the tops; boil for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain, cool and remove the centers, leaving the shell intact. Chop onion centers and reserve 1/2 cup.
• Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside, reserving drippings. Saute green pepper and 1/2 cup chopped onion in sausage drippings.
• In a large bowl combine green pepper, onion, sausage, egg, 1 cup cooked rice, cream cheese, oregano and parsley. Spoon mixture into onion shells and place in prepared dish. Combine melted butter and paprika; brush tops of onions.
• Cover and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Uncover, and bake an additional 5 minutes.

STUFFED GREEK ONIONS

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, slice about one-third off the top of each onion, leaving a flat crown. Then remove a small slice from the bottom so it will remain upright in the slow cooker. Using a grapefruit knife or melon baller, carefully scrape out as much of the onion's core as you can without ruining the onion. Place the onions in the slow cooker insert, pour in the water, cover, and cook on low for about 3 hours, or until the onions are somewhat tender when pierced with a paring knife.
• While the onions are cooking, combine the cheeses, olive oil, currants, chopped mint, and pine nuts in a bowl, mix together with a fork, and add a pinch of freshly ground pepper. Remove the cover of the slow cooker and fill each onion with 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture.
• Re-cover and continue cooking for about 1 hour longer, or until the cheeses are melted and the onions are very tender and getting brown about the edges. Spoon any liquid in the bottom of the cooker over the onions. Garnish each onion with a sprig of fresh mint and serve either hot or at room temperature.

GREEK GEMISTA - STUFFED TOMATOES & PEPPERS

Steps:

• Remove all tomato stems.Using a sharp slice off the bottom side of the tomatoes, cut about 1/8 of an inch or even less if you can. Save the little cap on the side.
• Very carefully scoop out the flesh, making sure you do not rip the tomato skin. Place the tomato flesh in a separate bowl and set it aside. Sprinkle each tomato with a little sugar and sea salt and turn them upside down to release their juices while you clean the peppers.
• Using again the sharp knife slice the bottom of the bell peppers, cut about 1/4 inch this time. Save the little pepper cap on the side.
• Very carefully remove the bell pepper flesh, rinse each underwater if you have to remove any seeds; make sure it's all clean, and no seeds are left inside.
• As you finish scooping up and cleaning each vegetable place it in your large baking pan, open side up. Cover each tomato and pepper with their little caps.

GEMISTA RECIPE (GREEK STUFFED TOMATOES AND PEPPERS WITH RICE)

Steps:

• Slice off the top of the tomatoes. Using a spoon remove the flesh of the tomatoes and keep it in a bowl. (The flesh of the tomatoes will be the base for the tomato sauce for the Gemista.) Slice off the top of the eggplants and remove the flesh, using a spoon. Cut the flesh of the eggplants in small cubes and set aside, as you will use them later for the filling of the Gemista. Slice off the top of the peppers and remove the seeds and white parts from the inside.
• Place the empty vegetables on a large baking tray. Try to leave the vegetables with as little flesh as possible, but be careful not to poke through their skin. Season the empty vegetables with a pinch of salt and sugar and add a little butter on the bottom of each one.
• In a blender add the flesh of the tomatoes, 5-6 tbsps olive oil, the tomato paste, sugar, season with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Set aside.
• . In a saucepan add some olive oil and sauté the onions, until translucent. Chop the zucchini in small cubes, add in the saucepan and sauté for one more minute. At the end add the flesh of the eggplants (chopped) and the chopped garlic and sauté, until softened. Add the rice and continue sautéing, unit it becomes transculent. Pour in 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 2 cups of water and season with salt and pepper. Let the filling come to a boil. After 5 minutes the stuffing is ready. It doesn't need to cook throughout as it will continue cooking in the oven. Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the fresh herbs and taste and season with some more salt and pepper if needed.
• If you prefer your gemista spiced up with some meat, try sizzling 250grams (8.8oz) of ground beef with the onions in the step above. Once the beef juices have been absorbed and the meat is done, chop the zucchini in small cubes, add in the saucepan and sauté for one more minute. At the end add the flesh of the eggplants (chopped) and the chopped garlic and sauté, until softened. Add the rice and continue sautéing, until it becomes transculent. Pour in 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 2 cups of water and season with salt and pepper. Let the filling come to a boil. After 5 minutes the stuffing is ready. Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the fresh herbs and taste and season with some more salt and pepper if needed.
• Peel and chop your potatoes in bite-sized chunks.
• . Spoon the filling inside the empty vegetables, filling them up by about 2/3rds of the way up. The filling will expand a bit when cooking! Add your potatoes, spreading them out in between the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Finally spoon the filling liquids from step 4 and your sauce from step 3 inside the vegetables until full and pour the remaining in the baking tray. Cover the vegetables with their lids and add 3 cups of water in your baking tray
• Cover the Gemista with aluminium foil and bake in preheated oven at 180C / 350F for 60-75 minutes. Halfway through cooking time, remove the aluminium foil and bake until nicely coloured.
• The Gemista are equally delicious, served either warm or even straight out of the fridge. Just pair them with some salty feta cheese and enjoy!

FETA STUFFED ROASTY ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 170C. Peel the onions leaving them whole, removing the first layer of onion as you peel. Cut them in half across the middle and remove several layers from the centre of each using a teaspoon. Fill any holes with a small slice of onion taken from the centre layers. Arrange onion halves, cut side up in a small ovenproof dish. Pour a splash of water into the dish and brush the onions with some of the oil. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes until they are tender.
• Meanwhile, finely chop the inner layers. Heat the remaining oil in a medium sized saucepan and fry the chopped onion, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until soft and beginning to brown, leave to cool.
• Mix the cooled chopped onions in a bowl with half the feta, the breadcrumbs, chilli, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped thyme and parsley,walnuts, beaten egg and some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well until everything's combined.
• Increase the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Divide the feta stuffing between the onions, then scatter over the remaining cheese and sprinkle over a few thyme sprigs. Drizzle over a little oil from the tomato jar and cook for 25 minutes until the stuffing is bubbling and the feta is golden brown.

STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Peel onions without cutting through the bases.
• In large pot of boiling water, cook onions about 20 minutes.
• Drain & immerse in a pot of COLD water.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F & oil a baking dish big enough to contain the 6 onions without crowding.
• Using a small sharp knife, cut around & scoop out the central section of each onion.
• Remove about half the inside (saving it for soup or sandwiches).
• Lightly salt empty cavities, then let onions drain upside down.
• In a small bowl, beat the ham into the egg.
• Stir in bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, nutmeg & ALL BUT 3 tablespoons of the grated cheese.
• Add 3 tablespoons of the oil & season with salt & pepper.
• Pat insides of the onions dry with paper towels, then stuff them using a small spoon.
• Arrange onions in one layer in prepared baking dish.
• Sprinkle tops with remaining cheese & then with oil.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until onions are tender & golden on top.
• Remove from oven & serve hot!

GREEK STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º F.
• Cut around stem of peppers like you would cut a jack-o-lantern top, retaining the top with stem. Remove seeds carefully and wash and dry thoroughly.
• Place peppers in an oven safe dish and arrange upright and put tops back on.
• Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile in a large non stick pan, saute onions, zucchini and carrots in vegetable broth for 5-6 minutes.
• Stir in the rice and tomato paste and coat thoroughly.
• Add parsley, dill, lemon juice, pepper and Herbamare (or salt) and stir to combine.
• When peppers are ready, take out of oven and fill with stuffing.
• Place tops back on peppers and bake for an extra 30-40 minutes until the peppers are soft.
• Serve with additional wedges of lemon and dill for garnish if desired.

STUFFED GREEK ONIONS

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, slice about one-third off the top of each onion, leaving a flat crown. Then remove a small slice from the bottom so it will remain upright in the slow cooker. Using a grapefruit knife or melon baller, carefully scrape out as much of the onion's core as you can without ruining the onion. Place the onions in the slow cooker insert, pour in the water, cover, and cook on low for about 3 hours, or until the onions are somewhat tender when pierced with a paring knife.
• While the onions are cooking, combine the cheeses, olive oil, currants, chopped mint, and pine nuts in a bowl, mix together with a fork, and add a pinch of freshly ground pepper. Remove the cover of the slow cooker and fill each onion with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mixture.
• Recover and continue cooking for about 1 hour longer, or until the cheeses are melted and the onions are very tender and getting brown around the edges. Spoon any liquid in the bottom of the cooker over the onions.
• Garnish each onion with a sprig of fresh mint and serve either hot or at room temperature.
• Suggested Beverage
• Okay, I can't resist. I'd like to suggest a wellchilled glass of retsina with this dish. Even the cheap, generic stuff would do, and probably bring back fond memories of the Greek islands. But several of Greece's new generation of winemakers have experimented with making artisanal retsina, and I'd like to suggest that if you can find one, you buy it and drink it. Gaia Estates' Thalassitis is one I can happily recommend.

GREEK STUFFED PEPPERS RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan to medium-hot, add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes, making sure the onion does not brown. Add the garlic and cook for two minutes more.
• Tip the tomatoes into the pan and stir through the onions, cook for three minutes continually stirring until they start to break up; if using canned simply stir through.
• Add the meat, wine, and thyme to the pan and stir well, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring to break up the meat. Once cooked, stir again, add the rice, and a little salt for taste.
• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Cut the peppers into halves lengthwise. Pack together into an oven-proof baking dish and fill equally with the ground meat mixture. Cook in the center of the heated oven for 15 minutes, sprinkle over the crumbled feta evenly over each pepper, and return the dish to the oven for a further 25 to 30 minutes ensuring the peppers are heated throughout and the peppers soft but not falling apart. If the peppers start to collapse, reduce the heat of the oven.
• Serve immediately with a light sprinkling of thyme and black pepper.

PLAKOPSY (GREEK FLATBREAD WITH CHEESE AND SPRING ONIONS)

Steps:

• Mix the water, egg and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl. Gradually add the flour, mixing it in with a fork first and then with your hands.
• Flour your work surface really well and knead the dough until it stops sticking to your hands.
• Mix the feta with the spring onions. Taste and add salt only if needed. Divide the filling into 4 portions.
• Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Flour the work surface well and roll one piece of dough out as thinly as you can into a 12 inch circle. Moisten the top of the sheet with a little sunflower oil. Take one-quarter of the filling and spread most of it over the rolled-out dough, leaving about a 2 inch border. Then fold two opposite sides of the dough inwards to overlap, brush with a little more oil and sprinkle over the remaining filling, then fold the other two sides over to form a square. Flour and lightly roll over the folded bread, then set aside.
• Repeat with the rest of the dough pieces and filling.
• Heat the 50 ml (2 oz) sunflower oil in a large frying pan and fry the breads, one at a time, for 3 minutes on each side, lowering the heat if you see them catching a bit.
• Let the breads cool for a minute and then eat with some kefir or ayran (a salty yogurt drink).